As either professional tradespeople or do-it-yourself home-improvers will attest, nothing beats having the proper tool for a given job. The proper tool cannot only save time, money, and reduce damage to equipment and work supplies but also provide for the increased safety of the user.
One tool utilized in a wide range of applications is that of the pipe clamp. Its ability to clamp and hold objects in close and tight proximity while a given bonding agent is allowed to cure or a fastener is applied makes it ideal for use particularly in woodworking e.g., furniture making and cabinetry. Additionally, some clamps operate in reverse allowing them to be used to force objects apart—which is often required when repairing legs or table leaves on furniture without exposing the wood to the potentially damaging effects of an errant hammer blow or marring effects of overwrought nails or screws. However, the process for reversing the tension of a traditional pipe clamp is often complicated and takes much time to accomplish successfully if it is accomplished at all.
Many efforts have been made to address this problem such as U.S. Pat. No. 927,067 A, U.S. Pat. No. 7,159,859 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 307,439 A and US 20070222130 A1. However, these devices are unsatisfactory in both desired effect and ease of operation. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by a single pipe clamp may be selectively utilized to clamp objects together or spread them in tensioned opposition without the frustrations, and risky damages as described above. The device of the instant application accomplishes this task.